Propeller



' J. J. NICHOLSON PROPELLER Filed Feb. 21, 925

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mvsN-ron 2. M a

froauav May 4,1926, 1,583,165

J. J. NICHOLSON PROPELLER File e 21, 1925 a snags-sheet 2 mvsmqa BY g A (i in 21/ m TTORNEY Patented May 4,- 1926.

UNITED STATES v I I 1,583,165" PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. NICHOLSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

PBOPELLEB.

Application mea'rebruar 21, 1925. Serial No. 10,743.

. adapted for use either wholly or partially in the air, including helicopters, aeroplanes, sea and ice planes, flying machines and dirigibles of like character. a

The broad general nature of the invention' may be characterized by the provision of means for creating artificial resistance to the blades of a crew propeller or other propulsive means employed. 4

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide means for accomplishing this purpose in a practical and efiicient manner, utilizing, whenever possible, the exhaust of thedmctor by which the propeller is actuate A further feature is in the provision of propeller blades having a transversely ridged or striated surface against which is projected streams of air, steam, gases, water or the like in such manner as to oppose the direction of rotation of the blades and deliver the streams outward in a substantially tangential direction thereto.

Another aim is to provide a blade structure that is essentially strong, light in weight and relatively inexpensive to construct or These several features are accomplished by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and shown in "he accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure,

and in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view of aconventional type of propeller made m accorclance withthe invention.

Figure 2 is a side or edge elevational view of the same, partially in section. 1

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a modification in construction.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the propeller shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 55' of Figure" 3.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a hollow cylindrical shaft, closed at its outer end 11 to preventescape of air or the like in the bore 12 of the shaft. i 1 Y i It is'to be understood that the shaft is revolubly mounted in bearings carried on the vehicle, the shaft driven by a motor in the usual manner and being in communication witha supply of compressed air, gases or steam as the exhaust of the motor, or water suppliedunder pressure from a tank if the propeller be used for aquatic purposes.

Fixed on the outerend of the shaft are ipner and outer flanges 13 and 14 res ectively having rigidly engaged between t em a hub 15 from which extend opposed blades generally denoted by the numeral 16.

Each blade consists of plate 17 gradually decreasing in thickness from the rounded rear edge 18 to the relatively thin advance edge 19 which is twisted at an angle of approximately fifteen dcgrees from the normal plane of the blade.

The innersurface 20 of the blade is plane and level and on the outer surface are a series of spaced, raised transverse ridges or serrations 21 having. angular faces 22 inclimng towards the adjacent ridge, the slant of each face or step 22 being inward towards the blade from the hub 16 to the widened and rounded outer end 23.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 a thin tube 24 is fixed on the advance edge of the propeller, extending from the inner face of this abutment 25 of the end 23, to the hub 15, which itenters at an angle, as at 26,-to extend substantially through the center and communicate with the interior of the tubular shaft 10.

Airv or the like, under compression, is blow-n outward through a series of perforations 27 to impinge against the surfaces 22 and discharge into the atmosphere at a tan 5, a substantially triangular tube 28 extends I from the abutment 25 at the end 23 and is bent as at 29 to pass through the hub 14 and communicates with the hollow shaft 10 in the manner previously described.

Air is forced outwardly through slits or elongated openings 30 to impinge on the transversely bevelled surfaces 22 which are also bevelled outwardly to blend into the thickened rounded edge 18.

It is to be noted, in the form shown, that the tube 28 forms the advancing edge of the blade, presenting a relatively narrow area for that purpose, and it will be understood that all blades are similarly provided with resistance devices of the kind described.

Although I have described my in'ip1'o\'c ments with considerable detail and with respect to certain particular forms of my invention, I do not desire to belimted to'such details since many changes and modifications may well be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention in its broadest aspect. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A propeller comprising a hub having a pair of opposed radiating blades, transverse ridges on the outer fiat surfacesof the blades, said ridges having sharply angled abutments directed towards the hub and bevelled surfaces inclined towards the entering edges of the blades, a tube adjacent the entering edge of each blade, a hollow shafton which the hub is fixedly engaged, said hollow shaft being in communication with a supply of compressed a1r or the like, sald tubes passing through the hub to'communicate with said shaft and containing openings adapted to deliver an air blast upon the bevelled surfaces of the blades in a direction opposite that of rotation of the blades.

2. A. propeller comprising a hub having two diametrically opposed flat blades, transverse ridges on the outer flat surfaces of the blades. said ridges having sharply angled abutments extending squarely across the blades and bevelled surfaces inclined inward towards the hub and towards the entering edges of the blades, a hollow shaft for said hub, said shaft being in comn'iunication with a supply of compressed air or gases, a triangular tube disposed on the advance edge of each blade with its apex of the angle of the tube outward, and slits in the base elements of the tubes directed to impinge on each of the bevelled surfaces of theblades adjacent the abutments thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this application.

JAMES NICHOLSON. 

